This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on October 2, 2015.

3 theatre performances to catch

Aduh, Seroja!

ASWARA takes on the creative challenge of conceiving a production which contemporises traditional joget gamelan, silat and other traditional Malay art forms in a full-length production. Aduh, Seroja! examines the plight of four maligned and disparaged Malay heroines — Tun Teja, Mahsuri, Tun Fatimah and Putri Sa’adong. Victims of treacherous slanders of the men in their lives, Aduh, Seroja! sends a feminist message within the matrix of traditional dance forms. Aduh, Seroja! will be playing tonight, tomorrow and this Sunday at 8.30pm, Auditorium DBKL at Menara DBKL in Jalan Raja Laut. To purchase tickets, log onto diversecity.my. Tickets are priced at RM40 and RM60.

Beijing Opera Excerpts

Farewell My Concubine is part of the Beijing Opera Excerpts taking place from now till Oct 10.  Taking the stage to present the excerpts of the famous Beijing Opera are Jia Jingsong, who has performed as Liang Shan Bo in Butterfly Lovers with the international-renowned Beijing opera singer Zhang Huoding and Zhang Yanhong, a master degree holder in Chinese Opera, who is a well-known author and video presenter for the training of the role of “dan” (young female). Together with Wu Yanqiu, the artistic advisor of the DIO Chinese Opera project, they perform a traditional Chinese opera that has been alive for generations. Theatre Lounge Café is located at B1-3A, Plaza Damas 3, 63 Jalan Sri Hartamas 1, KL. For enquiries, call (03) 6730 7982. Cover charge is RM100 per person, and can be booked from www.theatreloungecafe.com.

The Tree

The Tree, a metaphor for the natural and cultural fecundity of Malaysia, becomes the creative point of embarkation for Dua Space’s Anthony Meh and Aman Yap — two major Malaysian modern dance choreographers. Established more than 10 years ago, Dua Space has become one of most creative and compelling forces on the Malaysian dance stage. Both choreographers have extracted movement and elements from traditions, reconstructing them through a contemporary approach ultimately imbuing them with new meaning and significance. Watch The Tree at 8.30pm tonight, tomorrow and Sunday at Panggung Sari, Istana Budaya, Jalan Tun Razak, KL. To purchase tickets, visit diversecity.my. Tickets are priced at RM40 and RM60.

1 way to get fit

Thinking about getting fit? Head over to Backstage Dance Studio to take part in one of their dance and fitness classes this weekend. This evening, the studio will be teaching a yoga class at 7pm and a Zumba class at 8pm. Tomorrow morning, yoga classes start at 9.30am, Zumba at 10.30am and TRX at 11.30am. A special guest instructor, Mahek Shah, will be teaching a Zumba master class tonight at 8pm, and fees are RM30. For bookings and enquiries, call (03) 7734 3316 or (016) 206 3316. Backstage offers a free trial for first-timers. The studio is located at B-1-13A, Block B, Oasis Square, Jalan PJU1A/7, Ara Damansara, PJ.

1 way to welcome oktoberfest season

Brotzeit is hosting a not-to-be-missed barrel tapping at 7pm this evening at their Sunway Pyramid outlet and at 7.30pm tomorrow evening at their Bangsar Shopping Centre (BSC) outlet. Join beer lovers in the customary tapping of this Oktoberfestbier barrel and enjoy this specially brewed beer for the occasion. A live band will entertain you through the evening, along with a selection of scrumptious German specialties. Call (03) 2282 9516 for enquiries or reservations at BSC, and (03) 5638 5516 for Sunway Pyramid.

2 new movies to watch

Hotel Transylvania 2

The latest 3D animation movie to hit the big screens, this sequel to the 2012 hit Hotel Transylvania tells the story about the hotel, which is now open to guests. Featuring our favourite vampire family, Count Dracula et al, the movie follows Mavis, Johnny and their young son Dennis, who does not seem to be a pure-blooded vampire. Dracula (voiced by Adam Sandler) starts to worry about his grandson and the way his daughter is raising him, and tries to train Dennis into becoming a monster. Hotel Transylvania 2 is playing at major cinemas in the Klang Valley. For more info, visit www.gsc.com.my or www.tgv.com.my.

The Martian

Based on the bestselling novel by Andy Weir, The Martian stars Matt Damon as astronaut Mark Watney, who is stranded alone on Mars while others, a long distance away, try to come to his aid. Forced to live off the land after having been left for dead, Watney cleverly devises ingenious solutions to the harsh, desert environment of Mars in order to grow food, make water and survive for many months. The movie chronicles the difficult task of colonising another planet, and of how humans are social animals who crave meaningful relationships. The Martian is now playing at major cinemas in the Klang Valley. For more info, visit www.gsc.com.my or www.tgv.com.my

2 parties to crash

Gravity Club KL presents Futurista Saturday, so prepare to lift off with their weekly resident DJs, DJ Wicked and DJ Mc Clad supported by DJ Crossfinger and Mike Zooka as they rock your Saturday night with their tunes and wicked mixing skills. For table reservations or enquiries, call (011) 2639 5797 or (016) 306 7777. Gravity Club KL is located at level 6, The Gardens, Mid Valley City, Lingkaran Syed Putra, KL.

Under9 presents a techno special with SoulMatters Recordings and Technologue with DJs Shawnn Lai, Gerald Ang, Notion A and Jason Voon. Singapore DJ/Producers Shawnn Lai, Gerald Ang and Amjad Shah (aka Notion A) have each been pushing techno through various avenues over the past decade. From early 2012, through playing at various events, they started sharing musical ideas which focused on the soulful sound of electronic music. This soon became regular project meetings in the studio and collaborations with other producers in Singapore and overseas. Under9 is located at 9 Jalan Bukit Nanas, KL. Entry is free before 11pm and RM15 after. The party takes place tomorrow night, from 10pm to 3am. For more info, visit www.under9kl.com.